Barren Luna's Revenge

chapter 6

Chapter Six

Ana

​I sat completely still on the bar stool as the cold, sticky drink dripped down my wet hair and soaked into my clothes. The liquid ran down my neck, but I didn't even bother to wipe it away.

​Instead, I just looked straight at the lady standing directly in front of me. She was glaring at me with wide, furious eyes, looking at me like I was a bitter enemy she wanted to unleash all her hidden anger on.

​Lily didn't hesitate for a single second. She instantly stood up from her stool, lunged forward, and slapped the woman hard across the face.

​"Who the f**k do you think you are?" Lily yelled, her voice echoing loudly through the room. "Didn't your mother teach you to respect your elders when you see them out in public?"

​By now, the entire bar had gone completely quiet. Every single eye in the room was locked onto the three of us, watching the scene unfold. I wiped a bit of the liquid from my eyelashes and looked closely at the lady. She was just an ordinary omega in the pack, nothing more.

​She didn't have any real power or status here. The more I stared at her smug face, the more I realized what was actually happening. This entire situation had to be Ema's doing.

​I slowly stood up from my stool, letting my wet clothes cling to my skin. "You just poured a drink all over me," I said, keeping my voice calm and steady. "Have we ever even met before today?"

​For a moment, the room was completely silent. The woman didn't answer my question. Instead, she just raised her hand, pointed her finger directly at my face, and sneered.

​"You're just a pathetic slut who can't stop trying to get into the Alpha's bed," she shouted, making sure everyone in the bar could hear her words. "When are you finally going to stop? You need to stop dreaming about taking the Luna position for yourself. That position can only ever belong to Ema."

​I let out a loud laugh the moment those words left her mouth. It was just as I thought. Ema was behind this.

​Of course, this rude woman was just one of Ema's loyal little lapdogs, completely ready to come out and fight a dirty battle for her without Ema even needing to lift a single finger herself.

​"So, you walked over and poured a drink on me simply because you think I'm a slut," I said, stepping closer to her. "Tell me, how exactly should I thank you for this free drink? Or should I thank you for failing to see who the real, chosen Luna of this pack actually is?"

​For a second, the woman looked surprised by my reaction. Then, she threw her head back and laughed right in my face.

​"If you are actually the Luna, then why hasn't a single person in the pack heard about it?" she mocked, crossing her arms over her chest. "Why hasn't Alpha Desmond ever announced your title to the public? Everyone in this territory already knows that Alpha Desmond hates being around you. You make him completely sick to his stomach."

​Lily opened her mouth to speak, her face red with rage, but I quickly reached out and caught her arm to stop her. I kept my eyes locked on the rude lady.

​"There is absolutely no point in wasting my valuable time on a brainless dog like her, Lily," I said loudly, ensuring my voice carried across the bar. "Honestly, calling a person like her a wolf would be a massive disgrace to the entire pack. Besides, it is much better if she just takes her empty glass, goes right back to her precious Luna Ema, and tells her to stay far away from me."

​I turned my back on her and went to sit back down on my stool when another familiar voice echoed from the side of the room.

​It was Ema.

​"Ana, I already know you completely hate me for coming back into Alpha Desmond's life," Ema said, stepping out from the crowd with a sad, pathetic expression on her face. "But do you really have to embarrass my name in a public place like this?"

​Lily let out a sharp chuckle, shaking her head as she looked at her. "Well, look who finally decided to show up. The lapdog's master finally shows her real face to the crowd."

​I chuckled softly, staying quiet for a brief moment as I stared at her perfect, dry clothes. Then, I spoke up.

​"What exactly are you doing here, Ema? Are you seriously following me and watching my movements everywhere I go? How can I go one single day in this territory without hearing your name or seeing your annoying face?"

​I was absolutely pissed off. My hands were shaking with pure rage. Sitting there looking at her fake, innocent expression, I wished with everything I had that I could just hit her until she passed out cold on the floor.

​I swear, out of all the things I wanted to do to fix my life, killing her was the very last item remaining on my list.

​"Ana, why are you acting this way toward me?" Ema asked, her voice dropping into a soft, polite whine that made me want to gag.

​I chuckled again, shaking my head. Hearing her call my name and act all polite in front of the crowd was completely disgusting.

​"Ema, I honestly think it's better if you try a little bit harder next time," I said, looking her up and down. "That way, you won't end up being completely rejected when you finally go out to audition to be a movie star. Your acting is terrible."

​Lily laughed loudly next to me. "Exactly! Someone who can't even keep her own body inside one single pack territory, going around trying to steal other people's true mates. Isn't a person like that supposed to be called completely mateless?"

​The moment those words left Lily's mouth, I saw the raw anger flash across Ema's face. Her perfect mask completely slipped.

​She raised her hand high in the air, fully intending to swing down and slap Lily across the face, but I moved faster. I reached out, caught her wrist mid-air, and squeezed it tightly.

​"You can mess around with me all she wants, and that's one thing," I whispered harshly, staring directly into Ema's eyes. "But trying to mess with the only real family I have ever known in this life? You're asking for a literal death wish."

​With a strong, angry jerk of my arm, I shoved Ema away from us. My push sent her stumbling backward, and she fell straight down onto the hard ground. She sat there on the floor, looking up at me with pure fury burning in her eyes.

​But before she could open her mouth to say a single word to the crowd, a cold, powerful voice boomed from the entrance of the bar.

​"What exactly is going on here?"

​I turned my head and immediately saw Desmond walking through the doors, his eyes wide as he took in the scene. The exact moment Ema realized he was looking, she burst into loud, dramatic tears. She clutched her stomach and let out a piercing scream of agony.

​"Desmond, please help me!" she cried out, sobbing violently. "My baby! Protect my baby!"

​Just like the first time at the estate, Desmond didn't ask a single question. He rushed forward and violently pushed me out of his way to get to her. He bent down, scooped Ema up into his protective arms, and lifted her off the floor.

​But this time, instead of just running away immediately, he stopped and looked directly at me. His eyes were cold with disgust.

​"You are an absolute disgrace, Ana," Desmond snapped, his voice shaking with anger. "Acting this way out in public, how can you expect anyone in this pack to ever respect you? I already told you that Ema is pregnant. Can't you have even a single ounce of self-control around her?"

​Before I could even open my mouth to defend myself, his Beta, Max, who had walked into the bar right behind him, spoke up.

​"Alpha Desmond has been incredibly good to you, Ana, but all you ever bring to his name is pure shame," Max said, looking down his nose at me. "How can you expect to get any respect from the pack members when you are out here drinking at a bar? You should be deeply grateful that the Alpha hasn't formally punished your actions yet."

​I let out a loud, hard laugh when those words left his mouth. The sheer unfairness of it made me feel crazy. I raised my hand, pointed my finger directly at the Beta's face, and then turned my gaze to look straight at Desmond.

​"Even your own Beta doesn't show me a single shred of respect," I said, my voice rising. "And now I am supposed to sit here, play the good little wife, and act like all of this chaotic drama is my fault? Why don't you go ahead and ask your pregnant lover what really happened here? She was the one who sent her little friends over to publicly disgrace me tonight! Not only that, she made me look like a complete laughing stock in front of this entire room. Do you honestly think I don't have any right to speak up and defend myself just because she is pregnant?"

​Before Desmond could turn around to carry Ema away to the clinic, she spoke up from his chest, her voice trembling with fake emotion.

​"I’m sorry, Desmond," Ema whispered, wiping a fake tear from her cheek. "I really didn't know that my friend was just trying to stand up for me tonight. I'm so sorry for the trouble."

​I just laughed at her display. She was always so incredibly fake, and it sickened me.

​Desmond looked back at me, his expression tightening into a look of pure embarrassment. "Little personal things like this should have been talked about in private, Ana. I am really, deeply ashamed of you right now."

​He turned his head away from me and looked directly at Max. "Take her back to the house immediately, Max. Keep her locked inside her room. Make sure the house stays completely quiet. Do not let her out of that room unless she finally learns her lesson and realizes her mistake."

​Without waiting another second, he turned around and walked out of the bar, carrying Ema tightly in his arms. I stood there in the middle of the room, completely soaked in a stranger's drink, just laughing out loud at the absurdity of my life.

​Max walked over and stopped right in front of me, his posture rigid. "It's time to go home now, Ana."

​I looked at him, noting how he didn't even use my title. He didn't say the word Luna. He just called me Ana.

​Maybe outside these walls I was just Ana, a useless girl, but inside the pack house, I was supposed to be the Luna.

​Not that any of it mattered to me anymore.